10 Underrated Disney Characters Who Deserve Credit

Everyone loves Mickey and Captain Jack and Elsa and Nemo. They’re fantastic – no arguing there. But there are some other really fantastic Disney characters that don’t always get the credit they deserve. Here are some of my favorites.

10. The Constable from Mary Poppins

Granted, he only appears in the last few minutes of the movie, but the Constable is a great character. He is extremely stereotypically British and very professional. The funny thing about this character is that he doesn’t really understand what’s going on in the Banks’ house, but he’s there for the most pivotal moment. He is a total background character but some of his one-liners, especially those said on the phone, are iconic in my household.

Professor Porter is such an amazing character because he is there for all the action, sees everything, and still manages to be fairly clueless. I love Jane’s dad’s funny little one-liners and his spunk. However, he is clearly a very intelligent guy who deeply loves his daughter. He gladly accepts Tarzan into their camp and is more than happy to teach him everything he knows. And, being the awesome dad that he is, realizes Jane is in love with Tarzan and tells her to stay with him. (He stays too, of course). Professor Porter is kind, funny and an all-around great character.

Notable Scene: Jane: “He was confused at first, as if he had never seen . another human before. His eyes were intense… and focused, . and… I’ve never seen eyes like those before.”

Professor Porter: “Oh. Shall I – ahem – leave you and the .blackboard alone for a moment?”

8. Wasabi from Big Hero 6

The whole Big Hero 6 gang is incredible, but I think Wasabi doesn’t get as much love as he should. Wasabi is a hilarious addition to the group, who also happens to be a genius. But what’s special about Wasabi is that he’s the only one who wasn’t 100% on board with the world saving thing. It actually really freaked him out. But he went with his friends anyway. This is why he’s underrated. He was out of his comfort zone, but thrived there.

Everyone needs a friend like Riley. In National Treasure, he is by no means the traditional hero type, but he is a great friend to Ben and even Abigail. Riley stands up for and believes in Ben over and over again, even when the rest of the world thinks he’s crazy. Not to mention Riley is brilliant. He cracks codes and computers and even makes Ben invisible on security cameras. He’s basically a techno-whiz, which comes in handy when you have to steal one of the most important documents in the world. Did I mention Riley is super funny? He’s nerdy and awkward which provides brilliant opportunities for little quips and wit every now and then. Loyalty, brilliance, and humor. What else do you want in a best friend/sidekick?

Notable Scene: Abigail: “We missed it.”

Riley: “No, we didn’t. We didn’t miss it because…You don’t know this? I know something about history that you don’t know?”

Ben: “I’d be very excited to learn about it, Riley.”

Riley: “Hold on one second, let me just take in this moment. This is cool. Is this how you feel all the time? Well, except now.”

Abigail: “Riley!”

Riley: “All-RIGHT!”

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6. Lady Cluck from Robin Hood

Lady Cluck is Maid Marian’s lady-in-waiting, or…chicken-in-waiting. She stands by Marian for the entire movie, always rooting for love to win out. She is very motherly to Marian, but she’s also her best friend. She makes sure Robin Hood is a good guy before totally supporting their relationship. Lady Cluck is a tough chicken with a soft heart. One of my favorite scenes is when she has a play sword fight with the kids. But she also kicks butt against the bad guys when she needs to.

Notable Scene: Prince John: “Seize the fat one!”

Lady Cluck: Runs and beats every rhino guard that tries to catch her.

5. Chicha from Emperor’s New Groove

Man, I love this movie. This movie is short and goofy and hugely underrated. But so is Chicha, Pacha’s awesome wife. Even though Pacha is the one that goes on a big adventure with Kuzco, Chicha is the one that holds down the fort by keeping everyone together. Not to mention she and the kids totally kick Yzma’s butt when she sneaks around their house. And Chicha does not put up with anything. She is tough and independent, but a loving and nurturing mother and wife. She rocks. Oh, also, she’s hilarious.

Notable Scene: Chicha: “No no no no. Emperor or no Emperor, it’s called . common courtesy. If it were me, I’d march right back there and . *demand* to see him. You know I would!”

Pacha: “Sweetie, sweetie, think of the baby!”

Chicha: Pacha, I’m fine. This baby’s not coming out for a while, . but even if it was, I’d give that guy a piece of my mind. That . kind of behavior just, just… [snorts] I gotta go wash something.”

4. Chessy from The Parent Trap

Chessy isn’t just one of my favorite Disney characters, but one of my all-time favorite characters. She’s just flat-out brilliant. Chessy is the Parkers’ maid in The Parent Trap, but she acts more like a motherly figure and friend for Hallie and Nick. For that reason alone she is a hugely underrated character. But she also figures out Annie’s charade and acts as her confidant and co-schemer throughout the film. Chessy isn’t afraid to express how she really feels, whether that’s through sarcasm or excellent facial expressions. While Chessy is funny and helpful, she also loves fiercely. And that’s why she’s awesome.

Notable Scene: Chessy: “I’m not looking at her in any special way. I’m looking . at her like I’ve looked at her for eleven years, since the day she . came home from the hospital. 6 pounds, 11 ounces, 21 inches . long – this is how I look at her. Can I hug her? Oh, she’s so . beautiful and so big! I’m going to make you something special . to eat. What would you like? Anything? You know what? It . doesn’t matter, I’m just going to whip up everything we’ve got, . okay? ‘Kay.”

3. Wilhelmina Bertha Packard from Atlantis

Wilhelmina is one of my all time favorite Disney characters. She is the oldest and most jaded member of the Atlantis mission crew. She is in charge of the intercom and scanners. But what makes this character amazing is her unmitigated sass and sarcasm. She never even really has a moment of sweetness, she’s just sassy. Wilhelmina is perpetually annoyed with the rest of the people in the group and says whatever is on her mind. She’d be an absolutely awesome character to have walk around the Parks.

Notable Scene: Wilhelmina: “We’re all gonna die.”

2. Dot from A Bug’s Life

In my opinion, the whole of Bug’s Life is massively underrated, but I’m here to simply address the character Dot. The little purple spitfire Dot is second in line for the throne of the ant colony. She is a princess, along with her sister, the ever-flustered Atta. But what makes her a standout character is her bluntness and her childlike faith. When the movie’s hero Flik really needs to get his act together, Dot is there to give him some tough love and complete adoration, with some added wit. Sometimes we all need that.

Notable Scene: Flik: “Here, pretend – pretend that that’s a seed.”

Dot: “It’s a rock.”

Flik: “Oh, I know it’s a rock, I know. But let’s just pretend for a . minute that it’s a seed, alright? We’ll just use our . imaginations…”

Dot: “…but it’s a rock.”

1. Captain Amelia from Treasure Planet

I bet you almost forgot about this movie, didn’t you? If you do remember and love this movie, there’s a good chance Captain Amelia is one of your favorites. Voiced by the brilliant Emma Thompson, Captain Amelia is in charge of the ship that our young adventurer Jim stows away on. She proves herself to be a tough, no-nonsense, dedicated leader. She doesn’t put up with much, but absolutely cares for her crew. Captain Amelia always has a plan and carries it out with the most sarcasm possible. This I can really appreciate. Plus, she totally falls for Doctor Doppler, which gives her an adorable, sweet side.

Notable Scene: Captain Amelia: “Let me make this as… monosyllabic as . possible. I… don’t much care for this crew you hired. . They’re…how did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee.”

About Molly Elias

Molly Elias has been a dedicated Disney fan since she was 18-months old. She has grown up with and learned from Disney her whole life. As her family's main vacation spot, Disney World is a place of love and laughter and magic for her. Her family also prides themselves on their Disney Cruise Line knowledge and would rather be on the high seas with Mickey than anywhere else in the world. Molly plans to keep Disney in her life forever, while also pursuing a writing career. She recently completed a master's program in creative writing in the hopes that someday she will be able to be a writer for the Happiest Company on Earth. Molly keeps Walt's famous quote at the forefront of her life: "Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

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